New Marstons Mills restaurant approved

The licensing board and a town councilor gave the applicants for a new Asian fusion restaurant a grilling – from language skills to alcohol served at a sushi bar to traffic issues – on March 24.

Susan Vaughn

SUSAN VAUGHN PHOTO

DEFENDING A PLAN ­– Hui Ling Chen, right, with her attorney, Theodore Schilling, listen while attorney David Lawler supports her application for an all-alcohol license for her proposed fusion restaurant in Marstons Mills at the town licensing board meeting March 24. Town Councilor John Norman, seated right, opposed the alcohol license.

After much questioning

The licensing board and a town councilor gave the applicants for a new Asian fusion restaurant a grilling – from language skills to alcohol served at a sushi bar to traffic issues – on March 24.

Hui Ling Chen presented her application for a new annual all alcohol license for her proposed Saga Fusion Restaurant in the shopping center on Old Post Road in Marstons Mills. The one-story unit in the Eastern Bank building would have full-service seating for 36 diners, a six-seat sushi bar, and takeout service. It would be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The restaurant would have nine employees, including Chen as manager. Her attorney, Theodore Schilling of Centerville, said she has seven years of experience in the restaurant business and bar tending, and is TIPS-certified to serve alcohol. However, the board questioned Chen’s English speaking ability and asked her to describe her experience, which she did, adding that she could handle rowdy or drunk customers.

Schilling said Chen is a U.S. citizen and has mastered the basics of English, but was afraid of making a mistake in front of the board. She also had translator Peter Young with her, who said he would be working sometimes at the restaurant along with several other staff.

Board Chairman Marty Hoxie also questioned the traffic and safety issues at the busy intersection of Old Post Road and Route 28. “I don’t believe a 36-seat restaurant will cause much more problems,” Schilling said, and said the bank will be closed much of the restaurant’s hours.

Schilling said the traffic issues were discussed at length at site review, where officials approved the restaurant plan, as did the zoning board of appeals.

Nearby Arcadia Drive neighbors also submitted a letter of concern about the traffic and alcohol at the restaurant. Town Councilor John Norman spoke as representative of Precinct 12 and as a nearby resident on Old Post Road. “I have no dispute that the restaurant should be allowed, but I question the service of alcohol,” he said.

Norman said the restaurant would be funneling potentially impaired drivers into his residential neighborhood and by several businesses. He asked the board to deny the full alcohol license and was the only one who spoke in opposition.

Schilling defended the alcohol license, saying diners’ drinking habits have changed and are more mindful of drinking and driving.

Attorney David Lawler supported the application, saying “a Japanese restaurant is probably the least invasive addition and the residential component is minute.”

Lt. John Murphy, the police liaison on the board, expressed his concerns about the alcohol use, because he has seen other restaurants turn into bars or nightclubs only.

Schilling said the complaints were unfair because the restaurant is small and would have no entertainment or nightclub operation.

The three-member board approved the alcohol license with restrictions that an English-speaking person be on duty and the sushi bar be just for food service.